-------- directBOX Forward ---------------
From: [log in to unmask]
To : [log in to unmask]
Date: 19.03.2009 14:51:03
Dear Umberto,
I am just re-opening Email after some time without and
immediately read "buffalo" - that's indeed my task ! ;-)
Well, the very regular ridges clearly show that the horn
belongs to a waterbuffalo or Asian buffalo (Bubalus).
Size in relation to curvature indicates a domestic animal,
hence Bubalus arnee f. bubalis according to Bohlken
or B. a. f. domesticata, as I would preferably call it. ;-)
Given the limited availiability of wild waterbuffalo horns
as well as (to a lesser degree) of African buffalo horns,
with the latter being not actually suitable for such use,
you can generally expect all kinds of such buffalo horns
found in "industrial complexes" to be Asian domesticates.
The features in the given case leave no doubt in this.
Domestic buffalo horns were conventionally imported
to Europe since Medieval times. In northern Germany,
they have been used chiefly in the comb industry from
Lower Saxony to Eastern Prussia, in the Hansa area.
Your assumption as for the nature of horn tips is correct.
The term "black buffalo" in English is oftenly applied to
African buffaloes. However, we are not dealing with
a colonial hunters' language here, so I would expect
the wording simply reflects the horn colour.
Domestic waterbuffalo horns quite substantially vary
in their colour, with grey and black possibly used as
"standards" by English manufacturers. Elsewhere,
many people commonly prefer horns of mixed colour
- which are quite beautiful, indeed. You can see this
still today when they are used for jambiya in Arabia,
to replace Rhino horn, and even German plastic (!)
combs in many cases are made to evoke just this. ;-)
Best regards,
Thomas
-------- directBOX Reply ---------------
From: [log in to unmask]
To : [log in to unmask]
Date: 17.03.2009 23:32:08
Dear Zooarchers,
I was wondering whether anybody could help me with the specimen portrayed in the
photo downloadable at:
http://www.alexandriaarchive.org/icaz/icazForum/viewtopic.php?p=1269#1269
This originally comes from a cutlery shop in Sheffield (UK) though it has been
in a museum store for a while and any precise chronological information is
missing though it's likely to be late 19th - early 20th century. I believe that
this is the tip of a buffalo horn (as opposed to horncore). It is dense and not
at all hollow, which I suppose is a feature of the upper part of the horn. I
have seen other bits of buffalo horn from late postmedieval Sheffield
industrial sites. Buffalo horn is supposed to have been imported regularly, and
we find quite a bit of ivory too. I have two questions: can anybody tell me if
there is a chance to separate the African (Syncerus) from the Asian (Bubalus)
buffalo on the basis of the horn morphology which is visible on this specimen?
The second question concerns the fact that the museum curators told me that
manufacturers would make a distinction between 'grey' and 'black' buffalo horn,
though it doesn't know on what basis. I don't think that this distinction has
any zoological meaning, but has anybody heard of it and if so would you know to
what it applies?
Many thanks in advance for your help.
Cheers,
Umberto
--
Umberto Albarella
Department of Archaeology
University of Sheffield
Northgate House
West Street
Sheffield S1 4ET
United Kingdom
Telephone: (+) 44 (0) 114 22 22 943
Fax: (+) 44 (0) 114 27 22 563
http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/staff/albarella.html
For Archaeologists for Global Justice (AGJ) see:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/global-justice.html
"There is no way to peace. Peace IS the way".
|